These days, prom seems to bring excitement or ennui

Depending on which decade you grew up in, high school prom can conjure up images of chiffon dresses swaying back and forth to The Supremes or doing your best running man with a pager clipped to your tuxedo cummerbund.

No matter what it looked like, there was probably a large group of girls “sittin’ and hopin’ ” someone would ask them to go to the big dance in the weeks prior, and just as many boys willing to oblige their wishes.

These days, things look a little different. Some schools have a hard time getting students to attend the age-old formal event because kids either don’t care or don’t get it. But that mindset doesn’t represent all students.

McKenna Gatski is a senior at The Meadows School and eagerly awaiting her prom April 20. She got her dress at Neiman Marcus and has checked with every girl who rides her bus to make sure no one else will be wearing a gown that is “strapless, to the floor, light blue, completely sparkled with a slit that goes up and pretty tight.”

Gatski has the night all planned. Her boyfriend will pick her up at her house, they’ll take photos with their friends at the JW Marriott, board a party bus headed for MGM Grand, and arrive at their Fire and Ice-themed prom.

For Gatski, who is a cheerleader, on the softball team, in theater and serves as senior class secretary, prom is “the biggest event of the year.” The hipsters at her school might not agree.

“When I think of (hipsters) I think of the kids who are too cool for school events,” she says of the group that shuns most things mainstream. “If they do go (to prom) they go by themselves in their own limos and they won’t participate.

“I think it’s more of a negative thing, but that’s because I’m superspirited and into school activities.”

Kailee Shoaff, 18, attends Faith Lutheran Junior/Senior High School. Kids at her school aren’t allowed to arrive in party buses. They also have a “lock-in prom,” which means once kids enter those doors they’re not going anywhere for several hours.

“It’s a big struggle. It’s hard to get people to go,” says Shoaff, who is on the student council. The council doesn’t do titles, but she’s “kind of the publicity chairman.”

There’s a group of students in particular who resist such events. According to Shoaff they’re the kids not there to dance. Other students might just call them partyers. Anything chaperoned simply doesn’t appeal to them.

Shoaff doesn’t see why, though.

“For me, I’ve gone like every year to pretty much every dance,” she says. “I’m looking forward to senior prom ’cause every girl gets excited about that.”

Every girl except her best friend Danielle Price. And it’s not because Price is a partyer.

“I kinda just am not your typical high school girl who really likes to get dressed up,” Price says. “I’m not a prom type of person. I really don’t see the point.”

Corsages and crinoline simply don’t do it for her. So, what does get her excited? The Indianapolis Colts. She’s a big NFL fan. She’s also “obsessed” with People magazine’s “Sexiest Man of the Year” Channing Tatum.

Price thinks her disinterest in prom is more common than teen ’80s movies would have you believe.

“Girls aren’t like, ‘Oh my God, I wanna get asked to prom!’ People don’t freak out like that. Now they’re more relaxed,” she says.

She’s not just relaxed, she’s outright opposed to going. In fact, if someone asks her, he will get turned down. Just like Gatski has her prom night all planned, Price has her rejection in order, too.

“I’ll just come up with an excuse, like I have to work or do something with my family,” she says. “I won’t say, ‘No, I hate prom.’ ”

Even though she does.

Contact Xazmin Garza at xgarza@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0477. Follow her on Twitter @startswithanx.